


Wanna See A Dead Body?

by ShippingThings



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: 90s AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Small Town, F/F, Flashbacks, None Of Our Main Characters Are The Killer But I Think That Goes Without Saying, Serial Killers, Slow Burn, This Takes Place In Present Day and The 90s, podcast au, reporter Kara
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 17:51:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10496370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShippingThings/pseuds/ShippingThings
Summary: In 1997, a series of murders starts in Alex Danvers small hometown. Maggie Sawyer, daughter of police chief Joe West, approaches her with a proposition. Solve the crimes themselves. Over the course of seven months, the two girls face an unknown killer and try to stop any more of their classmates from being murdered, growing closer the nearer they get to the answers they are looking for.In 2017, Alex Danvers hasn’t heard the name Maggie Sawyer in nearly twenty years, but then Cat Grant pulls her past back up and forces them to face it. Offering her newest reporter Kara Danvers the opportunity to host her own documentary style podcast based around her sister’s story becomes an opportunity they can’t pass up. Kara, Alex, and their audio visual team James and Winn, travel back to their once bloody hometown, meeting up with Alex’s ex amatur partner in crime solving. Revisiting crime scenes and pouring over all of the old information they’d collected brings memories rushing to the surface. Maybe their spark wasn’t the final victim of their killers spree.Or a love story told twice, two decades apart.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So, this idea has been rumbling around in my head for months and now I finally get to share it with more that just my circle of friends.
> 
> If you need a reference to the kind of podcast we are talking here, I took inspiration from Serial, Someone Knows Something, In The Dark and Stranglers, but that will come more into play in chapter three. Also, the title of the fic is the same as the podcast.
> 
> The chapters should pretty much alternate between time periods. Chapter one starts in 2017 and chapter two (when it goes up) will be in the 1990s.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this.

**January 2017**

It’s been nineteen years since Alex has lived here, and yet she still knows all the street names by heart. She still knows where every store is as the car goes by. She’s surprised to see all the places she’d frequented as a teen still remain. Everything has changed so much, but life here remains.

She can feel the history pushing up through the cracks in the graying road.

Part of her can’t believe she’s back, another part says it was inevitable. This is her life. Her story was always going to bring her back here, one way or another. She supposes she’s glad it’s like this, that she get’s to tell it with Kara by her side, guiding the narrative in a way that will be both revealing and riveting. It feels only right that Kara should get to put her name on the story, she was, after all, the closest reporter to the events, even if she was only an aspiring reporter at the time.

Alex really should’ve seen it coming. With anniversaries looming, it wouldn’t be long before people started to remember and came knocking. There had been a few separate articles in recent years, nothing major, just updates on how many years had passed, the families affected and how that sorry son of a bitch’s prison sentence was going.

It’s just Alex’s luck that one of those articles found it’s way into Cat Grant’s constant stream of information and that she’d recognized the name  _ Danvers _ , decided to do a quick google search, just to find out that her new protege, Kara, was related to  _ Alex Danvers _ , one half of the pair of girls who had solved the case of the serial murders happening in their home town, way back in the nineties. What was bound to be a semi publicised story had fallen right into Cat Grant’s lap and she had the perfect in to make it a  _ big story _ .

Alex should’ve expected as much when she’d received the call from Kara to meet her at work, sounding nervous and saying that Cat wanted to talk to  _ her _ .

Cat had brought her and Kara into her office and sat them down on her couch.

She’d started into how podcasts are a thing, how people all over the world download hours worth of people talking about different topics, from TV show recaps to the revisiting of true crime cases. This was when Alex tensed up.

Cat started into her shpiel, one Alex was positive Kara had already heard, if her nerves were any indication, about how Kara would host, following Alex and her _ old friend _ around their hometown, retelling the story through interviews and retracing their footsteps from nineteen years ago. Alex hated the way old friend didn’t just mean  _ friend _ , hated how  _ knowing _ Cat was. 

Alex wanted to say that it was a dumb idea. That it wouldn’t bring the type of traffic to CatCo that Cat was aiming for. Alex wanted to say that no one would listen and that it wouldn't matter and that all the work would be for nothing, but she knew that wasn’t true. She knew that people were just as interested in true crime as she was when she was in high school. If not more so. She knew people would come for the story no matter what, especially with the interesting angle of it being solved by two teenage girls. The added element of a gay love story, two girls who fell in love while chasing a murderer, would also capture the interest of anyone who wasn’t already sold by the words ‘True Crime’. There was no arguing, not with Cat, not with the inevitability of it, so Alex had agreed and Cat had passed a file over to Kara, telling her it was everything she needed to know to contact _ Maggie Sawyer _ and that production would start in less than a month. She signed her contract two days later, after a conversation with J’onn about the need to take time off. He laughed. They both knew she should’ve taken that time off years ago.

Now, a month since J’onn patted her on the back and told her to enjoy the trip down memory lane, Alex is wishing she’d put up more a fight. The numbness she feels is tinged with familiarity. Knowing she’s about to see her, for the first time in a long time,sits heavily in the pit of her stomach. Pulling into a parking spot, it’s all Alex can do not to get out and make a run for it. She knows the building, but what’s inside is far scarier. It’s the one place Alex has been able to pick out that isn’t what it used to be. When Alex was a teen it had been a pizzeria, it had apparently long since gone out of business and Cat had nabbed the available space as soon as she’d found out about the connection between Kara and Alex, not bothering to talk to either of them before having the space remodeled into a recording studio.

The front window is tinted, near impossible to see through. Alex feels sick at the thought of Maggie being mere feet away from her.

“We’re here,” Kara says, snapping Alex out of her trance.

She brings herself back to reality by taking in the situation around her. Her body aches from sitting so long, the eight hour drive from National City was hell on her muscles. Snack bags are strewn about the backseat, all of their extra equipment and luggage packed into the trunk and back row of the Ranger Rover Cat had gifted their team. Winn is drooling on the nice leather, taking up as much space as he possibly can.

“Winn,” James calls from the passenger’s side, “Winn!”

No response.

“I guess we’re gonna have to force him up,” James sighs and opens his door, prompting a laugh from Kara.

Alex watches as James flings the back open, Winn’s elbow, no longer having anything to rest on, drops causing his head to jerk up in panic. “Warn a guy!” Winn whines, gesturing wildly. 

James claps him on the shoulder with a smile. “Sorry, buddy. We tried… Now help me get some stuff out of the back.”

Kara turns to Alex when she’s sure they’re alone. “You ready for this?”

Alex isn’t. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m good.”

When they’re all out of the van, Kara pops the trunk. Alex takes some of James camera bags and the one bag of sound equipment Winn will allow her to carry in. Kara and James grab a file box each,opting to leave the suitcases where they are for when they reach the place they’ll be staying at.

As the four of them approach the door, the snacks in Alex’s stomach feel like they want to vacate the premises. It’s unlocked. Her heart pounds with the knowledge that  _ she _ is here.

The first room is nice, obviously a waiting space with the front desk and line of chairs. This must be where the people they are going to meet with will sit while they get set up in the back. 

“Kara!” A voice calls from behind the desk. Alex jumps. She hadn’t even noticed the woman standing behind it. It’s a relief to see that it’s just Jess, Lena’s personal assistant, who she’s transferred to them as their secretary for this ordeal. 

Kara sets the boxes on the table, James following suit, and goes to greet her.

“Miss Lane and Miss Sawyer are in the back.”

James ignores everything and moves to the door, disappearing into the space Alex’s heart screams for her to retreat from, her body does the opposite, instead, opting to follow after him.

Computers, notebooks, filing cabinets and various monitoring equipment are set up neatly in the next room. Each desk has a name tag attached, so they’ll each have a work space during their stay here, Alex already knows hers won't be seeing much action, she’s always been more for being out and about than sitting and doing paperwork, but it’s not the main office that gets her attention.

It’s the next room. The actual recording studio. Through the window, there’s a table with microphones set up around it, nice plush spinny chairs and two women, one of which, James has pulled into a hug.

Alex doesn’t notice them though, her eyes can only focus in one solid area.

It's been nearly twenty years and it hurts to look at her. It’s an ache which begins in her chest and reaches her feet, thudding throughout her body as she drinks her in.

Maggie looks older. Her jaw and cheekbones are more defined than Alex remembers, small lines are present around her mouth and eyes. Alex knows those well, sees them each morning in the mirror, and is both proud of them and frustrated with them. Her hair is still tucked behind her ear as though it hasn't budged in all this time. Her tan skin looks familiar, welcoming and warm, and Alex wishes she could run her fingers across it, knows she would remember the landscape of Maggie's body as well as she remembers every road in this town. Like they’re a part of her. As Alex approaches, Maggie pushes some things around on the table. Contracts. The way her brow is furrowed as she studies them could be Maggie at seventeen. Alex reminds herself to breathe.

Lucy Lane, their lawyer, stands next to her, explaining things as they go. Alex watches the pen glide over the paper, ink appearing in the shape of Maggie’s name on the page. They’re officially stuck with each other now.

She watches her turn, as if in slow motion, to smile at Lucy.

The ache gets set off again.

"Detective Dimples," her brain supplies. She wants to sob. It's been so  _ long _ .

Then, as if feeling Alex's examination, Maggie's gaze is drawn to the glass and their eyes meet, hers are the same deep brown Alex remembers. Warm and full of promised adventure, adventures already had. Alex wonders how much excitement has passed without her being present, if all of this seems like nothing compared to whatever it is Maggie has created in New York. 

Frozen in place, the thing that brings her back to reality is Kara breezing by her, gently touching her arms as she moves into the next room as James and Lucy leave it.

Maggie breaks eye contact as the door opens. "Kara!" She greets, walking forward to take the blonde into her arms, seemingly unaffected by what felt to Alex like the emotional equivalent of a natural disaster.

"Maggie!" 

Moving to keep a better view of the situation, Alex leans in the entryway.

She’s just as short as Alex remembers, dwarfed against Kara’s body as they hold each other tightly. Alex has to resist the urge to reach out and touch the now visible dimples on her cheeks.

They pull away, both going to examine each other. "It's so good to see you! You look great, Kara."

"Same to you. It's been too long."

The shorter woman’s smile falls. "... I know it has." She wills some sort of joy back onto her face as she gestures around their studio. "I see you're living the dream. I always knew you’d be a kickass reporter."

Kara smiles. "I seem to have taken that comment about me reporting about  _ you _ a little too seriously."

"What can I say? I'm an interesting woman, although not as interesting as it appears you still are," she nods to the ring on Kara's hand. "How's the wife, little Danvers?"

Kara blushes. No change there. “ _ Amazing. _ ” Her eyes light up the way they had in high school when conversations had shifted to Lena, the way she’d looked at her in the time’s Lena had come to visit from college, in every picture Alex had ever seen of them and when describing their honeymoon. Alex knows that softness is exclusive to Lena and doubts it will ever dissipate from either of their eyes. “She’s perfect. I can’t see myself with anyone else... We missed you at the wedding. I know Lena wanted to see you. She’s always been so grateful for--”

Going solem again, Maggie grabs Kara’s hand. “I know… I regret not being there.” Her eyes shift, like she’s finally going to look Alex’s way, but instead she clears her throat.

"How about you? Are you married?" Kara questions.

Alex doesn't wanna know. She doesn't want to hear the answer. There are words Alex is sure will break her. She doesn't wanna know.

"No. I'm not."

Alex is glad she knows.

“Unless, of course, you count  _ work _ .”

Kara grins. “Alex can relate. This is her first vacation in seventeen years.”

Maggie tilts her head, eyes questioning. Alex stiffens. Maggie know she went straight into the FBI academy in the fall after high school. She doesn’t know she dropped out her first time around. She doesn’t know _ why _ .

Winn pokes his head into the room, drawing their attention. “Hey guys? James, Lucy and I are gonna go pick up the rental cars. You three gonna be okay here?”

Kara nods, “Yeah, I think we’ll be just fine here. We’ve got things to discuss. Not to mention catching up to do.”

This makes Maggie smile at him. “I doubt we’ll run out of things to catch up on for a long while.”

Alex doesn’t say anything. 

“Awesome! See you guys in a bit!’ Winn smacks the door frame, turning to leave.

“That’s our sound tech,” Kara explains to Maggie as they hear the front door shut.

The space goes silent.

Kara must sense her tension, so she starts the conversation. "So, wanna sit down? Start talking? Go over what we wanna do?”

Maggie smiles again, going to grab on the the chairs of the table. “You cool with that, Danvers?”

It takes Alex a moment to realize she’s the one Maggie is talking to.

Taking this as a confirmation that interaction between them is okay, Alex nods, hastily moving to pull out another chair for herself.

“I have to admit, I’m pretty excited,” Kara confesses, giddily. 

Once the three of them are settled into place, Maggie and Alex far away from each other, an uncomfortable energy running between them, Kara starts to talk.

“Well, I was thinking. We should follow your journey. Keep it linear, go event by event, so the audience can learn what’s going on as you did, step into your shoes. At the point it comes out who the killer is for you guys, we can do an episode on the killer's life after we reveal who it is. Anyone familiar with the case will already know who did it and anyone who doesn’t could look it up if they really wanted, but for our purpose they’ll just have to forget all of that. Forget all of what they know about this case and just allow themselves to focus on you two. We don’t want to make that name the center of attention… This podcast is about  _ you two _ and the brave things you did.”

Alex and Maggie nod understandingly.

“Okay! Glad we are in agreement on that.” Kara shuffles her papers around again. “And I was thinking, the first episode should focus on how you two met, how this whole thing started for you both and the first victim.”

The booth goes silent.

“The first victim is gonna be in episode one?” Alex asks, feeling like it’s such a heavy subject to put in with their meeting.

“No one is going to want to wait very long to start getting into the crime, it’s what they are here for.” Alex can hear Cat Grant’s words underneath Kara’s and she sighs. “Plus, she is what started this whole thing, right?”

Alex turns to gage Maggie's reaction but the other woman is already watching her. The air is heavy and hard to breathe with the tragedy surrounding this whole thing. There will always be bodies between them.

Eventually, it’s Maggie who takes her gaze from Alex, which is appreciated, because Alex doubts she would have broken eye contact. “When do the episodes start dropping?”

“Three weeks.”

“And how many episodes do you expect will be done by then?” 

“Three.”

“So, just one a week then?”

Kara nods. “There’s going to be a lot of stuff to do.”

“Are we just recording in here or-”

“We’re going to be visiting the crime scenes.” Kara says, sounding like she’s bracing for something. When nothing comes, she continues. “Were going to record your reactions to being back in those places and you will go over what happened there. Being in the same place might bring back some memories.”

“That’s fair,” Maggie responds, voice even.

Kara turns to her sister, eyes flicking over her. “Alex? How do you feel about that?”

She just nods, not feeling comfortable enough to talk much.

“Okay then. That’s settled. Can I- Would you mind if-” Kara sighs. “I was just thinking… We don't have to get too into anything right now. 

“Kara,” Maggie reaches across the table, hand going to cover Kara’s. “This is your story. We are here to tell this story. You are in charge. Tell us what you want us to do and we’ll do it.”

Alex nearly misses Kara’s response because Maggie said ‘ _ us _ ’ and she didn’t realize there still was or would ever be an ‘ _ us _ ’.

“I wanted to get first thoughts, you know? What it's like to be back, how you feel about revisiting all of this, what it's like to see each other again after all this time…” Kara trails off, directing her gaze back to them. “I could… I could interview you both separately if you’d like?”

Nodding, Maggie says, “Yeah-Yeah, sure.”

Alex and Maggie still haven’t even exchanged pleasantries, not even a hello, but Alex realizes this is her cue to leave them. “Oh. I-I’ll just-” She pushes away from the table clumsily,  gesturing over her shoulder as she backs out. Her back hits the doorframe as Maggie watches, something unreadable behind her eyes.

Alex exits out into the waiting room.

The second her body hits a chair her leg begins to bounce, brain kicking into overdrive at the opportunity to over think.

Thirty minutes go by and finally, Maggie appears in the doorway.

“She's ready for you.”

Alex blinks, her fidgeting suddenly stopping as she moves to stand.

They pass each other awkwardly, bodies coming a little too close for each of their liking.

Alex is about to go in when she turns around to get another look, finding Maggie at the door instead of Alex’s vacated seat.

“Bye, Alex,” she says kindly.

“Bye?”

“Yeah, I'm uh, staying back with Joe for this whole thing.”

Alex softens, fondness for the older man taking over her. 

Joe had taken Maggie in, despite the two kids he already had under his care, when she’d needed it most. That was before Alex knew her, but she’d always be thankful for his kindness.

“Say hi to him for me.”

Maggie allows herself smile. “He always loved you. He might miss you more than he misses me,” she teases.

“I doubt that.”

“You’d be surprised.”

“Are Iris and Barry coming around too?” Alex asks, fondly remembering Maggie’s protective adoptive siblings.

“Yeah. Your sister wants to interview them.”

Alex’s face twists up in confusion. They didn't know any of the victims. They weren't ever targeted. “What? Why?”

“They know a lot about me and how I acted during that time… and how I was around you.”

“Oh.” All of Alex’s muscles tense up under the uncomfortable weight of the air.

“Yeah… You should uh-” she gestures to the back.

“Yeah, I should-” Alex pushes the door open, forcing her eyes off of Maggie. “Bye!”

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks to Alex ([balexi](http://balexi.tumblr.com/),[Bal3xicon](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Bal3xicon/pseuds/Bal3xicon)) as always for being my beta.
> 
> Comments are always appreciated!
> 
> Hit me up on [Tumblr](darlinglena.tumblr.com)!


End file.
